Fly Coop Maintenance

[MicheleE]

We are new chicken owners. We have a coop with an attached fly-pen with a dirt floor where they hang out during the day. Is it necessary to remove the the loose dirt or will the waste be absorbed into the ground. So far it doesn't seem particularly smelly but the six pullets are only 8 weeks old. The fly pen is 8x6 and we let them run around our yard a couple times a day. What is proper maintenance for a stationary fly coop with a dirt floor? Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't have the experience with a set-up your size and the way you manage it so I'll have to do some reasoning and use some of what I've read, mainly on this forum.

The rule of thumb areas given for chickens is 4 square feet per full sized bird in the the coop and 10 square feet in the run, or as you call it, the fly-pen. These areas are based on a lot of different things, room to keep them from getting bored which reduces pecking and potential for cannibalism, room for feeders, waterers and nesting boxes, roosting area, and enough area to handle the poop load based on standard management practices. You may have additional space in your coop so the smaller than normal run is not a problem. It also does not consider that you let them into the yard a couple of times daily, which helps a lot. Climate has something to do with it. And the personality of your chickens also effects it. There are a lot of variables involved, but I'd suggest watching for excess pecking and signs of them getting bored, especially if they are not allowed out into the yard for several days running. Each set-up is different and they are living animals, so it is very hard to say exactly how they will react.

Since your run is a little small, you may run into trouble with the poop load, which means it may start to smell. This depends some on how much time they spend in the run and very much depends on how wet it is. If it can be kept dry, you are likely to have little problems. You might need to rake it occasionally if you notice a buildup or throw scratch on the ground and let them rake it for you with their scratching. Some people rake out the clumps and put them on a compost heap.

If it is often wet, then you are more likely to have problems. I'll include a link on how to fix a muddy run from one of the real experts on here. Depending on your local conditions, you may need to cover it, divert water, provide drainage and do other things. Maybe putting sand in it will be enough to provide drainage.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

Good luck!

 

[MicheleE]

We do have another run attached to the fly coop but it is not fully enclosed (no wire on the top). It's 15 ft by 4 ft so we'll meet the 10 sq ft requirement per chicken. Thank you for such a thorough answer. Everything you said makes a lot of sense.